The Wachowski Brothers and Monolith Productions are developing The Matrix Online. Warner Bros. and Ubi Soft are working together to manage and publish the game.

MMORPG is an acronym for M.assively M.ultiplayer O.nline R.ole P.laying G.ame. These are games that are played by thousands of players simultaneously to create a virtual online environment. The Matrix Online MMORPG takes place within the hyper kinetic virtual reality world of the Matrix.

The Matrix Online is designed for experienced players as well as players who've never tried an online game before. Even the completely inexperienced player will quickly become a skilled Matrix operative.

The Matrix Online will debut in 2004.

Yes. BULLET TIME(tm), slow motion interactive gameplay, is an essential part of The Matrix Online experience.

Currently The Matrix Online is being developed as a PC-only product.

We have not yet determined the minimum specs for The Matrix Online.

No, The Matrix Online will be playable on 56K modems.

Yes. Once you register your copy of The Matrix Online, a monthly subscription fee will be charged for the service. Pricing plans will be announced at a later date.

Thousands of people can play simultaneously in one of The Matrix Online virtual worlds.

The Matrix Online will be an international game, with dedicated servers for players living in different regions around the world (including North America and other regions to be announced later). The timeframe for worldwide release is not yet set.

MMORPGs are unique in that there's rarely a "winner" or even "an end" to the game. Your personal success will be measured by your character's growing skills and abilities, and by your actions, you'll contribute to the ongoing story and virtual reality that is The Matrix Online.

The power of flight was a spectacular and unique ability of The One. But you will be able to "hyperjump" like Trinity and Morpheus, from roof tops to roof tops.

Yes. Dozens of weapons and martial arts maneuvers that capture the "wire fu" Matrix experience will be a part of the game.

There are several martial arts styles attainable within The Matrix Online. It wouldn't be The Matrix without the wire fu combat. The Matrix Online will feature cutting-edge martial arts experiences, including bare-knuckle fighting as well as combat with firearms.

Combat will be intense and spectacular, with over 300 animations for each martial art style.

An Ability Tree is a group of abilities, in which you start with basic abilities that become prerequisites for more powerful, complex abilities. Currently you can see the Spy Ability Tree, the Hacker Ability Tree and the Soldier Ability Tree!

Characters that are defeated in the Matrix must either be restored by another player, or leave the Matrix and return to the Loading Area. Characters may re-enter the Matrix immediately, but the shock and trauma of the near death experience reduces their overall effectiveness for a short period of time.

This penalty goes away with time, even if the player is logged off.

Your game avatar will reside in a full Rich World cityscape environment with traffic, lethal agents, living neighborhoods and breathtaking skylines. This enormous urban sprawl will spread for miles in all directions. There are subways, nightclubs, skyscrapers, and dark alleys that all seem normal on the surface, but beneath the urban exterior, a secret war is being waged for the survival of humanity and machine alike. Here, you and many operatives like yourself, will determine who shall inherit the earth.

The Matrix Online takes place after The Matrix Revolutions, the third Matrix movie, currently scheduled to release in November 2003.

Imagine yourself as Niobe, captured by agents and now desperately trying to escape. Imagine yourself as Switch, tapping into the data drops that tie into the core of the Matrix. Imagine yourself as Trinity, downloading a new ability and instantly being able to use a new weapon. Imagine yourself as Neo, executing unbelievable leaps and punches in a wild flurry of combat. Imagine the excitement and intensity of the Matrix, and yourself as a character within it.

The Matrix Online includes PvP, for players who choose to play against other players, but there are plenty of computer-controlled characters in the missions to fight against as well. Player-vs.-player is a particularly intense style of gameplay. However, unlike some games, you needn't play PVP exclusively. You can choose to alternate between fighting other players or taking missions against non-player characters.

There are many non-combat abilities that are essential to the missions you'll undertake in the Matrix, such as stealthily sneaking into an enemy region or using your Hacker abilities to bypass automated defenses. You can also have the ability to create objects within the Matrix, which you can give or trade to your teammates. You'll also be able to socialize with your fellow operatives, using email and a sophisticated chat system with emotes.

The Matrix, in the timeframe of the online game, is a virtual world in state of change. You may have to choose between conflicting sides in a faction war. Who can you trust? Who might betray you? The Matrix Online is a game that can be played on many levels, from pure combat to sophisticated political maneuvering and control.

The Matrix Online will have regular updates, with new story, missions, and art content. There will be scheduled larger expansions as well.

The launch version of MxO will not have player-drivable vehicles, but will have other methods for rapidly traveling across the game world.

Writing Code is an activity that players can perform in the Matrix and it is similar to crafting in other MMP games. Everything in the Matrix is Code: weapons, clothing, and even abilities. So characters who can write code, given the required resources and ability levels, can create nearly any item or ability in the game.

Yes. A robust mission system is being designed for maximum re-playability and depth.

You'll be able to play in solo and group missions, and as your skills and experience grow, you can join or lead a Hovercraft Crew. As you grow in skills and reputation, you'll be able to form your own political faction as well.

Yes. The game will feature "Vogue Style" avatars that are completely customizable.

New players start the game as characters just escaped from the Matrix. However, you will likely encounter some of the famous characters from the movie trilogy.

You'll develop your unique character with weapons, abilities, and accessories. The Matrix Online will have a wide array of abilities, which are treated as software that can be added or removed from your character and traded with other players. Some of the abilities you'll be able to use are different styles of martial arts (karate, aikido, etc), hacking a computer, hyper-jump (spectacular leaps between buildings, as you've seen in the Matrix movies), and much more.

Maybe you should ask the Oracle that question.

Beta testing for The Matrix Online will be announced on this website in the future. Register for the newsletter and return to this site for more information.

You'll find the newsletter sign-up form here:

http://thematrixonline.warnerbros.com/newsletter.html

As previously announced, The Matrix Online beta will be starting on June 1. Testing for The Matrix Online will be what's called a "rolling" beta. That means that beta invitations go out in scheduled waves, adding more testers with each group of invites. The initial waves are fairly small and the later ones get pretty darn big.

Because this is a closed beta, testers won't be able to talk about the game--including saying they've been selected to participate. During closed beta, if you see someone post that he or she is in The Matrix Online beta, it means either:

1) the person is lying (and won't be getting into the beta), or
2) the person will shortly not be in the beta.

Yes, that's right: Even saying you're in the closed beta is a violation of the non-disclosure agreement that all beta testers will have to agree to. After beta begins, testers will have access to sections of The Matrix Online website and message boards where they'll be able to share information without violating the non-disclosure agreement.

Please don't start threads asking if anyone has gotten into beta. Testers can't tell, so no one should ask.

There was a rumor that everyone who signed up will get in. Not true. There are many reasons why this isn't feasible. For example, some people who signed up don't have hardware that can handle the game. And while we certainly appreciate the enthusiasm everyone is showing for the game, we've had more people sign up than we could possibly accommodate during the initial beta phases.

We'll be inviting testers on as we need them. While no one is guaranteed to get in, just because you don't make an early round doesn't mean you won't eventually get in.

Thank you for your patience.

mxo.balrog

I understand everyone's exitement about beta testing beginning today. However, posting thread after thread saying "Geez I hope I get an email" isn't going to change what's already been stated:

1) The first wave of testers is small.

2) Beta testers can't talk about getting in on the boards.

3) No one promised to post when waves of testers would be allowed in. I said I'd check into it, nothing more.

If you want to chat about your beta hopes and fears, put it in the Beta Buzz sticky-thread on the General boards. Other threads talking about beta are going to be locked, as they're just spamming up the boards.

Again: Beta does begin today with a small number of testers. More will be added as needed. Please do not fill up the boards with threads about waiting for emails--that's what the Beta Buzz thread is for.

We're excited about the beginning of testing, too. Let's just try and keep it orderly.

Thanks,
mxo.walrus

You will be able to use AOL Instant Messenger within the Matrix Online game, and also to instant message to AIM users who are not playing the game. In the Matrix Online, AIM messages will have a different look than other messages.